The city of Austin, Texas is testing Linux on its desktops and servers, a move that shows that the push for cheaper options in businesses is still alive. Austin is also testing out OpenOffice.org as an alternative to Microsoft Office.

The city's US$3 million Microsoft enterprise support agreement, which allows it to upgrade as often as it wants, is set to expire at the end of next year. Pete Collins, director of the city's communications and technology management department, says that Austin will not be renewing the agreement, partly due to a projected deficit of $39 million next year.

Currently Austin is about three months into its Linux pilot program, and, according to Collins, it is “just trying to make it actually function in our world.” OpenOffice is running on about 30 computers for people who don't use the software much, and the city will start testing it out on users who currently use MS Office more extensively.

JOSHUA'S OPINION
I have lived in Austin for just over a year, and I am becoming more and more convinced that this city is the place to live. Having grown up in a town of 30,000 and having endured Houston for three years, I am glad to see that there is such a thing as a big town with a small-town attitude.

This Linux pilot is just one more sign that the city is actually interested in making things work. The budget deficit has been big news around here for a while, and this is not the first step the city has taken toward cutting costs. For instance, it already changed all of the traffic lights to LED bulbs to save on energy costs, and the entire switch-over took only a few weeks. It seems to me that when this city decides to do something, it does it.

Well, shameless plugs aside, I am happy to see that the city government is testing out Linux. I looked around a bit and found an interview with Pete Collins on Linux Journal from just before the pilot started, and I am just about as impressed with him as the interviewer was. Instead of making the sweeping move of replacing all of the city's computers with Linux, Collins is committed to making the best financial decision possible, and that will probably lead to a mix of Windows and Linux computers based on what is best suited for the job.

I hope that more cities and businesses move in this direction. Both Windows and Linux have benefits to give companies, and the less nailed down on one or the other they are, the more of those benefits they can see realized in their enterprise.

USER COMMENTS 37 comment(s)

linux who??(12:41pm EST Tue Dec 23 2003)linux who??? - by STONE COLD

1st Post(12:43pm EST Tue Dec 23 2003)Way to go Linux. Many local and state governments are forcing their tech people to at least consider Linux when updgrading systems.

I think this cautious approach is the way to go for now. Maybe in a few years, when the variety of desktop apps increases, Linux might be a serious contender to Linux. But for most government outfits, windows 98 and Office 97 still get the job done. - by Turtle Porn

If I am not mistaken the terrorist used Microsoft Flight Sim to practice for the attack in the WTC's.

- by Rax

Best Food in Texas (1:55pm EST Tue Dec 23 2003) and now Linux. I just wish I could afford to live there. Bill… Don't mess with Texas. The Eyes of the Ranger are upon You. - by RCAman

Re: Rax(2:18pm EST Tue Dec 23 2003):D I was about to say the same thing… - by MacConvert

“Linux helps to fund terrorism”(2:30pm EST Tue Dec 23 2003)LOL That has got to be the most idiotic thing I have seen in a long time.

I use Linux, and only Linux. I am very anti-terrorism. Just does not add up.

I think you should think before you post.

But talking to people like you makes me think of a saying:

Never have a battle of wits with an unarmed person. You being that unarmed person. - by A. Fullmer

OpenOffice…(2:55pm EST Tue Dec 23 2003)I'm a Windows user who relies on OpenOffice for my day to day use in a private university environment. Works great. There's really nothing keeping me from Linux besides our IT department. I'm also a Mozilla Firebird and Thunderbird man — there's really no reason to be MS dependent anymore. Hey Bill, better start making money on those Xbox's soon! - by KevinFreitas.net

Great Idea(3:01pm EST Tue Dec 23 2003)I think they are doing something great. This could save the city and taxpayers lots of money, espically with the OpenOffice. I am trying it out and not entirely impressed, but do like for users that do not all the percs that you get with MSOffice, which ends up being lots of users. That adds up quick. - by your mom

Makes sense(3:44pm EST Tue Dec 23 2003)With the 2.6 kernel out, there is no reason to not consider Linux, other than the SCO FUD. Ignore SCO, they are so off base.

I'll wait for an official 2.6 install package, probably Mandrake.

With the latest UnixV copyright filings from Novell, users should ignore SCOs threats, letters and claims on Linux.

The cost of maintaining a Linux IT program is no less costly over Sun or MS. The savings are in the licenses. You IT guys make too much, vote yourself pay cuts for the good of the tax payer and other employees. :b - by Zeke

Working for COA(3:47pm EST Tue Dec 23 2003)I work as a programmer for the city of Austin, TX. I'm glad the pilot program is happening, but I'm not holding my breath waiting for the city to switch away from Microsoft. Pete Collins may be thinking of switching over to open source, but that doesn't mean he has the resources to support the whole city. A good portion of the users are supported by their own department's IT staff. That includes the department I'm in and trust me, there aren't a lot of them that are up to the challenge of supporting a completely different operating system / office suite / network system.

I guess the positive side could be that maybe the savings from not paying Microsoft could go towards keeping our jobs and getting our raises back after 3 years without. - by Tad Reamer

Zeke(3:54pm EST Tue Dec 23 2003)How do you now how much any of us reading this site make? I can guarantee that I make quite a bit less than many other non-IT people. And I have to spend my time supporting those same people, because they're too lazy to RTFM. And they get paid for overtime, while I don't. - by Tad Reamer

Ok ok(4:06pm EST Tue Dec 23 2003)I was just kidding about the pay cuts. Our IT department is thousands of miles away and I have never seen or spoken to any of them. They all drive BMWs but that does not mean they are paid too much, just that they have credit issues.- by Zeke

Austin's Budget Problems(4:12pm EST Tue Dec 23 2003)I wonder how much money the City of Austin could save by consolidating their IT depts under one umbrella? City of Bryan, TX faces the same problem. The Utilities dept have their own IT dept. The costs of having 2 IT depts are staggering. If Austin has more than 2 IT depts, I can just imagine how much waste could potentially be eliminated. - by DP

The Dade County Secret Service will end your anarchist anti-free-trade open-source rampage! - by watch-out-commy!

Re: to the idiot “watch-out-commy!(8:02pm EST Tue Dec 23 2003)Here are many American companies such as Walmart,IBM, Hewlett-Packard Co., Novell Inc., and Sun Microsystems Inc. giving Linux Desktop a boost.

IBM, Others Pushing Linux Onto Desktop- by Just In

SeauXnough(2:31am EST Wed Dec 24 2003)I used to have a studio space in Austin with Mike Priest, Danny Garrett and Guy Juke. If they were any indication of the “Austin Mindset”, I'm suprised that the city of Austin isn't running on FreeBSD or GNU Hurd or the like, already. You'll never see Bill “buttboy” Gates at Hippy Hollow. Or anywhere on Lake Travis for that matter. And even IF he did show up there, they'd gut him out and serve him up at Threadgill's or Ruby's BBQ with molasses baked beans and icy LoneStars.Boo-Yah - by GunnyGeek

oh dear(4:51am EST Wed Dec 24 2003)here goes yet another ill thought out but well intentioned open source campain. these generally get piloted on the desktop and then well an truley scaped due to the 'issues', lack of software and the fact users don't like it very much.

problems is linux is no where near ready to run on the desktop of a large org and doing this now and failing means linux and opensorce have 'blown their chance'. open source software is not in my opinion something that should be considered lightly look as mysql only a complete fool or someone with no experience of it would plan a large db on it, but still many people will tell you it's ever bit as good as swl server or oracle even well respected people. truth is it's pretty crap in comparason at present.

I've had to admin a mysql db and loose data everytime the server is rebooted, their is no functionality, i back up constantly as i know from experience just cause my data is there now it may not be in 10 mins.

I was assured by so many people that it was every bit as good and reliable as sql server or oracle, i'm sorry if it offends but i can report from personal experience it's certainly not.

I would consider running it as a free server on a personal site but nothing more.

- by later

no spin!(10:49am EST Wed Dec 24 2003)In a story a few days ago, they found MySQL has six times less software flaws than commercial products.The new release of MySQL fixed all the flaws found in the research of open-source.

Study Finds Fewer Flaws in Open-source Code

Code quality in a version of the MySQL open-source database was found to be six times superior to that of comparable proprietary code, according to a recent study of open-source software products by tech development firm Reasoning.

Talk to Yahoo! Financial. They are running MySQL BIG TIME along with Oracle. MySQL is used on Yahoo! Financial news headlines, stock charts, and insider trading. - by I don't Yahoo always

“Although Windows has been the favorite target of criticism over its numerous security patches in recent years, commercial software proponents and even analysts note that open-source software can also be less secure than its commercial counterparts.”

..also, the following is of note:“Reasoning Director of Marketing Thomas Fry refused to reveal the identity of the commercial products that were tested in the survey.” – what were they testing it against? MS Access??? Oh, I get it – we don't NEED to know, right?? Should be interesting to see how many different names you post under after this….

“But IDC's Olofson said peer review testing comparisons between MySQL and commercial products may not be entirely balanced.

“It should be borne in mind that the leading RDBMS [relational database management system] products are probably huge in terms of source code compared with MySQL,” Olofson told internetnews.com. “I suspect that most commercial proprietary RDBMS products that have been available for ten years or more (as is the case with all the leading ones) are pretty solid in terms of the core functionality that MySQL offers, and that their defect rates for just that functionality would be much lower than cited for the proprietary products overall.”

I wouldn't exactly call the findings from this group “Valid and unbiased”. If you look at what Reasoning does: They sell software that analyzes source code for flaws. That would pretty well answer why they did the survey on Open Source.

You should read your articles a little more closely if you are going to be some sort of Open Source zealot – - by WhatALoser!

Linux world(2:46pm EST Fri Dec 26 2003)This world should use LINUX. Support LINUX!!!! Get rid of Bill (Greedy) Gate. Bill is making people poor!!!

I bought Xbox and right after the warrentee was up, it start to quit working right. Tech support said “sorry nuthin we can do to fix that, buy a new one” What pay $200!!!! First was $400 now $200 thats $600 to own a working Xbox!! what a RIPOFF!!!

I hope theres a new console..”Linsole” or somthin.powered by Linux with 64bit CPU. - by Freeman2K

Shame(11:03pm EST Sun Dec 28 2003)Ive been to texas. Its a shame we are going to waste linux in a state that believes there a federlist republic. texas is slow and big at it. i dont believe the people of texas know what to do with it unless they have a new yorker or any of the other 48 states helping like dell…dell rymes with hell. When sept.11 happend,ny prayed while tx ran. I rather have someone who prays than runs.TEXASUXS they kill children in school and beat people in churchs. take os to higher grounds. God Bless All,even tx - by IFFJR

Agree(11:32pm EST Sun Dec 28 2003)Its not that os is better than…we know that. It doesnt belong to texas. In the past they have messed things up pretty big, we cant let them mess up linux. Watch out becuase they may even try to take a claim,and a little away from us. I know I once lived in tx… - by OSFAN

SHOW ME(10:54am EST Mon Dec 29 2003)Linux Supports Terrrorism – It'a a fact… Linux does not support terrorism…you talked now show me the facts ,watch-out-commy! Show me. God Bless All - by IFFJR